Sunday, November 30, 2008

Radiology Technician Training And Education

By Howard Clark

For those of you who might be considering a career as a radiology tech, you should feel encouraged to pursue your interests, as it can be very rewarding. Today, more and more people find a career in radiology to be extreme fun and exciting, which is why it is becoming a career of choice.

To start with, you should always learn as much as you can about this career path, before deciding to go into it. There are many different roles that a radiology technician can play, which is why you need to decide which field in the medical industry, you want to get involved with. Considerations often include the minimum level of education or certification you need, and also the pay scale that you should expect once you start work. These are important things that need to be kept in view, which we will begin to explore.

For a start in the radiology field, most individuals will need to have a certain level of education or certification. But once you begin to take a look at the different courses of study that are commonly found today, you will realise that you need to decide upon the type of radiology which you might be considering. This will affect your career, as there are different qualifications needed for specific roles such as being a radiology technologist or even a radiology technician.

To be a radiologist, you normally require at least several years of training. However, there are different paths you can choose to take in order to reach this target. Currently, there are many different associate degrees offering training in radiology. Apart from this, you should also be able to find certificate programs that give you one year of training, before becoming a qualified radiology technician. You might also want to consider a bachelor's degree program, which should also get you a job in a field related to radiology.

Once you have some form of qualification or certification, it should be no problem for you to find a job in a hospital or a medical clinic. At times, you might even be offered a job in specialized radiology laboratories, where most research is mainly conducted.

Once you have gained some experience as a radiology tech, and move on to become a radiologist, you will not only be expected to operate the equipment, but also participate in the final diagnosis and reading of the radiology scans.

Regarding pay scales of radiology technicians, you should expect to get about $30,000 a year when you begin your career, and within a few years of working in the field, get about $100,000 a year.

If you are still keen on getting involved in the field of radiology, you should do the adequate amount of research necessary, before making the final decision. Also, it would help if you could get some feedback from individuals who are working in this field. - 16732

About the Author: